Isabel García Tejerina: Don’t let the deep sea be decimated

Why this is important

Some of the most
exceptional and least well known ecosystems, habitats, and species on our
planet are
found at the bottom of the sea, hundreds of metres deep. Amazing species live here,
such as corals that live for more than one thousand years, and incredible deep-sea
sharks that take decades before they reproduce. Deep-sea creatures are
generally fragile and have managed to adapt to living in extreme environments.

Despite the remoteness of their
location, these species are not immune
to the impacts of human activities – especially deep-sea fisheries. This
poorly regulated activity often destroys
deep-sea ecosystems such as coral reefs and sponge beds, and overfishes deep-sea
stocks to the point where they cannot recover, and collapse.

Given this situation, the European
Union is in the process of reforming the current EU regulation on deep-sea
fisheries in the North-East Atlantic Ocean. This is an excellent opportunity to
end the destruction of deep-sea habitats and protect these tremendous reservoirs
of biodiversity, in compliance with international management and conservation commitments.
Spain is the main European country
involved in these fisheries – accounting for half of all EU captures of
deep-sea species in the region – and therefore holds a major responsibility in
this process.

Ask the Spanish Minister of
Agriculture, Food and Environment, Isabel García Tejerina, to support and propose
measures to minimise environmental impacts on deep-sea marine ecosystems and ensure
the sustainable exploitation of resources, during negotiations on the new
deep-sea fishing regulation.

Will you help us? Deep-sea species and
ecosystems deserve your support.

Thank you for signing, and please help
to spread this petition!

By signing this petition, you are adding your signature to the following letter to the Spanish Minister of Agriculture, Food and Environment.

Dear Minister:

In relation to the ongoing negotiations
in the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on the reform of the regulation on
deep-sea fisheries in the North-East Atlantic, I would like to call on Spain to
support and propose management measures to minimise impacts on vulnerable
marine ecosystems and ensure the sustainable exploitations of deep-sea
fisheries resources.

As a European citizen, I am deeply
concerned about the weak management measures for deep-sea ecosystems and
species. Twelve years after the current regulation (Regulation (EC) No
2347/2002) entered into force, it is clear that the measures it contains are
completely insufficient to guarantee the protection of vulnerable marine
ecosystems from the impacts of fishing gear. Similarly, scientific evidence
indicates that the majority of EU deep-sea fish stocks are fished at levels far
higher than are sustainable, with large associated by-catch of non-commercial
species that are eventually discarded.

This situation does not reflect the
management objectives reflected in various EU regulations or in other
international commitments, such as those adopted by EU Member States in the
United Nations General Assembly (i.e., Resolutions 61/105 and 64/72). The
situation is especially worrying given the recognised vulnerability of deep-sea
species.

Spain, as the leading European country in deep-sea fisheries, has the responsibility to propose management measures based on science and on international commitments to protect vulnerable marine ecosystems and to fish deep-sea species in a responsible manner. In particular, I would ask you to support the following measures:

- Identify areas that contain vulnerable marine ecosystems and prevent the use of bottom fishing gear in those areas.

- Carry our environmental impact assessments for fishing activities in new and current fishing areas.

The petition is really important and could use our help. Click here to find out more and sign:
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petition/Ministro_Arias_Canete_No_permitas_que_arrasen_las_profundidades_marinas/?eBnkjhb

Thanks so much,

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